That this presidency could have serious impacts on reproductive rights in the U.S. is clear. But another serious concern is the global impact the election will have; the U.S. is the biggest donor for reproductive health in developing countries. This could mean the closure of organizations and clinics that provide life-saving services.

Many workers in nail salons have heard stories about friends who had trouble getting pregnant or who had multiple miscarriages. Ideally, nail salon technicians should be able to plan their pregnancies for times when they are not working. But one of the reasons they work in these risky entry level jobs is because they have to.

The student union is now being sued because it continues to insist on banning the peaceful expression of pro-life opinion at Brandon University. BUSU claims that the pro-life message makes some students feel "uncomfortable."

I do not presume to know what goes on in a woman's mind before she undergoes a sex-selective abortion. I think that a woman who is making a decision about sex-selective abortion should receive counselling to ensure that the decision is hers alone and she knows her options.

Despite our best efforts as sex educators, although we have been teaching specifics about female fertility for decades, it still seems to remains a mystery -- not only to those who want to plan a pregnancy -- but also to those who are trying to use their knowledge of fertility as a method of contraception.

As defenders of women's rights, we need to begin to recognize that equality for women has a ways to go precisely because we offer women abortion as an easy solution. We love the idea of empowering women. Yet oddly we preach that young women cannot be fully fledged members of society if they don't function as men do.

A key part of being feminist is respecting all people's choices about their own bodies. While a gender-balanced cabinet is a step in the right direction, there is no such thing as gender equality without bodily autonomy. If women aren't able to make decisions about their own bodies, equality is null and void.

As Tamils, we find unwed pregnancy to be such a crime that it restricts those who need someone to lean on in times of despair. I had no one I could go to.My partner did not want anyone to know. From the day we found out we were pregnant to months after we had aborted the child, I had to keep all of my emotions to myself.

Last week, the United States Center for Disease Control issued a warning directed specifically to women about alcohol consumption. Shortly after, a report published by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada stated that "women can be more vulnerable to sexual assault or other violence when drinking beyond their capacity" -- neglecting to include any warnings for men or specify anything about the actual perpetrators of sexual violence. Let's talk about that.

People across Canada and globally choose to end pregnancies for many different reasons. What's important is that they have options to safely carry out the decision they have made. While there are still major barriers, in Canada at last, these options are expanding. Or they will, if outdated Health Canada policies don't threaten to limit accessibility to medicine this country sorely needs.

Abortion stigma is fueled by myths. Myths that place safe, legal and accessible care and services out of reach for people worldwide and deny those who are weighing their options the evidence-based and judgment free information they need to make the choice that is right for them.

Planned Parenthood supports abortion, yes, but this is not newly divisive. So, what could it be? Why specifically now would Planned Parenthood donations diminish? This a question they would rather let fade into obscurity -- A group calling themselves the Center for Medical Progress began releasing an investigative sting operation into the practices of Planned Parenthood south of the border. Two actors posing as buyers of organs for research purposes got undercover video allegedly showing that Planned Parenthood in the USA engages in the sale of fetal hearts, livers, kidneys and heads ("calvarium") for profit.

You've heard of the recent attacks on women's healthcare in the States, but in Canada, we're feeling the impact too. For 50 years, Planned Parenthood Ottawa has been there for our community, providing unbiased counselling, education, advice and support. But it's become increasingly hard to do our work. Planned Parenthood is under attack, by people who oppose healthcare for women and the trans community, who don't want youth to get the education they need, and who dedicate themselves to cutting our funding every way they can.

In the recent P.E.I. case, the woman, who had been advised to seek ER medical attention by the province's emergency information telephone service and who had begun to experience cramps and bleeding while waiting, was told by the ER physician to go out-of-province, to Halifax, if she wanted to receive the necessary post-abortion care -- Halifax is over 300 km away, with a round-trip bus ticket costing over $100.00. Restricted access to abortion, compounded with physicians who do not fulfill their professional duty to provide patients with timely and effective referrals or necessary service in emergency cases, creates life-threatening situations that could otherwise be avoided

Let's remind ourselves that inaccessible abortion services do not eliminate abortions. The choice, or even necessity to terminate a pregnancy is a reality. Criminalizing abortion can lead to unsafe and potentially life-threatening options for many women in disadvantaged situations.

On February 12, Harper vowed to appeal a federal court ruling that would allow Muslim women to wear a niqab during citizenship ceremonies. Speaking to the press about the matter, Harper said, "That is not the way we do things." He added that, "This is a society that is transparent, open and where people are equal, and I think we find that offensive." This is a classic example of opportunistic feminism, which so many white men like to make use of from time to time.